An exciting research avenue? Glucosamine may have unexpected heart health benefits, study finds

16 May 2019 --- Glucosamine is used widely in joint health supplements to relieve osteoarthritis and joint pain, but it may also lower a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Published in The British Medical Journal (BMJ), these findings are based on a survey of nearly half a million British people. The avenue of research is certainly worth exploring, but controlled clinical trials are ultimately needed to establish cause and effect, notes Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

“One in four people in the UK still die from heart and circulatory disease, and around 7.4 million people live with the daily burden of these devastating conditions. We urgently need to fund research that could result in improved prevention, diagnosis and treatment. If a well known and widely available supplement like glucosamine could help prevent heart and circulatory diseases, including heart attack and stroke, it is an avenue of research worth exploring,” Dr. Babu-Narayan tells NutritionInsight. 

Glucosamine is made up of molecules naturally present in the connective and cartilage tissues of the body and ensure, among other things, the structure and elasticity of cartilage, tendons and skin It is a popular dietary supplement and in other countries such as the US and Australia, approximately 20 percent of adults consume it daily, notes the study.Glucosamine is made up of molecules naturally present in the connective and cartilage tissues of the body.

The findings are in line with a previous study that highlighted glucosamine’s potential heart health benefits, note the researchers. In a cross-sectional study of nearly three thousand Australian participants, glucosamine use was found to be inversely associated with risks of heart attack, angina and other heart diseases. Meanwhile, in the Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) cohort study, glucosamine use was significantly associated with an 18 percent lower risk of total mortality. Similarly, in the study at hand, it was found that glucosamine use was consistently associated with lower risks of subtypes of coronary heart disease (CHD), including fatal and non-fatal CHD. 

The data used in the study were extracted from the UK Biobank, which is a national health resource in the UK designed to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of illnesses and to promote health throughout society. The platform recruited around 500,000 participants aged 40 to 69 in 2006 to 2010 from across the country, of which almost one in five said they took glucosamine.

The researchers then compared the occurrence of CVD events – including CVD death, heart disease and stroke – between the groups who used glucosamine and those who did not. 

Users of the joint health ingredient were far less likely to suffer from a CVD event. Habitual glucosamine use was associated with a 15 percent lower risk of total CVD events and a 9 percent to 22 percent lower risk of individual cardiovascular events (CVD death, heart disease and stroke). The findings were independent of traditional risk factors such as weight, diabetes, smoking and other supplement use.

Biological underpinnings
The researchers presented some potential biological mechanisms that could underpin the association. 

In the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) study, regular use of glucosamine was associated with a statistically significant reduction in C reactive protein concentrations, which is a marker for systemic inflammation. In addition, a previous study found that glucosamine can mimic a low carbohydrate diet by decreasing glycolysis and increasing amino acid catabolism in mice. Taking this in consideration, glucosamine has been treated as an energy restriction mimetic agent.

However, further investigations – especially clinical trials – are warranted to verify the findings. In addition, experimental studies will help to clarify the potential mechanisms, Lu Qi, study author and Director at the Tulane University Obesity Research Center, Department of Epidemiology, tells NutritionInsight.

CVD: A major risk factor for the global population
CVD is a major global health concern and the potential for any ingredient to mitigate it could be exciting for the industry. 

An American Heart Association (AHA) Heart and Stroke Statistics report has shown that 48 percent of Americans suffer from some type of cardiovascular disease (CVD). 

AHA’s updated 2019 Heart and Stroke Statistics were published in its journal Circulation. It includes data gathered in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other US government agencies. The report showed that despite years of steady decline, CVD rates in the US are again on the rise.Healthy habits such as a healthy diet, remaining physically active and maintaining a healthy weight are essential in preventing CVD cases.

In the UK, however, the death rate from CVD has been falling – but is still one of the leading causes of death. 

Blood pressure is a core factor that can increase CVD risk, but healthy habits such as a healthy diet, remaining physically active and maintaining a healthy weight are essential in preventing approximately 80 percent of all cases of CVD, according to the 2019 AHA report.

However, in the US, a lack of consumer knowledge around the health implications of obesity may be contributing to these high statistics. The report found that roughly 90 percent do not link obesity to cancer or atrial fibrillation. More than half of Americans also don’t know that obesity is linked to high “bad” cholesterol levels (54 percent) or coronary artery disease (57 percent) and two-thirds (64 percent) are not aware it can lead to a stroke.

A further investigation by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) highlighted the link between gut health and heart disease, noting that eating whole grains and other fiber-rich foods are critical. The report also shared evidence that a good night’s sleep is important for CVD health, as well as minimal workplace stress and eating a diet rich in essential vitamins and minerals. 

“An important way to reduce your risk is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and when relevant take medications as recommended to you by your doctor,” Dr. Babu-Narayan concludes.

By Laxmi Haigh